I have been a Power Rangers fan for most of my life, but it was thanks to the show’s newest team that I fell in love with the Super Sentai-based superheroes again after a series of disappointing seasons. Starting with Mighty Morphin in 1993, Power Rangers has built a massive legacy that includes 30 seasons of television, three theatrical movies, multiple specials, dozens of games, and hundreds of comic book issues. Watching Power Rangers in chronological order can be difficult, though, as the show has had highs and lows across three decades.

Naturally, the favorite season of every Power Rangers fan is usually the one that made them become attached to the show in the first place. For me, that was Mighty Morphin, even though I didn’t watch it when it originally aired. Putting nostalgia aside, the best Power Rangers seasons are the ones that did things MMPR never did, from more fleshed-out characters to mature storylines. This includes 2021’s Dino Fury and 2023’s Cosmic Fury. Despite the different title, Cosmic Fury’s cast was the same as Dino Fury’s, with the former working as a direct sequel to the latter.

Dino Fury Was The Power Rangers Season I Had Been Waiting For Since 2009

Dino Fury was the best Power Rangers season since R.P.M.

As someone who got into Power Rangers thanks to the multiple reruns of the original show and a VHS of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, it was only during the Disney era that I began to follow the show weekly. From Ninja Storm to R.P.M., Power Rangers’ Disney era gave the franchise some of its best shows, including fan favorites such as Dino Thunder and S.P.D. Power Rangers would enter a new era yet again following the end of R.P.M. in 2009, after which the show went through a hiatus ahead of the release of Power Rangers Samurai.

Although Samurai was supposed to be an exciting fresh start for Power Rangers in what became known as the “Neo-Saban” era, the series could not live up to its potential. Samurai was surprisingly similar to Mighty Morphin in many ways and even received a great marketing campaign that made Power Rangers feel as big as it was in the 1990s. Still, even though I was ready for more traditional, low-stakes seasons after R.P.M.’s post-apocalyptic storyline, Samurai was the first of a series of disappointing entries in the Power Rangers franchise.

The idea of adding the word “Super” in front of the show’s title for the second phase of each new season was interesting and suggested that the second year of each series was going to be bigger and bolder than the first one. In reality, however, Super Samurai was not that different from Samurai. The same problem would happen in Megaforce and Super Megaforce, both of which failed to live up to their potential. Even Super Megaforce’s Legendary Battle fell short of expectations. Though I continued to watch Power Rangers, it was only in 2021 that I fell in love with the show again.

What Makes The Power Rangers Dino Fury Team So Special

Dino Fury/Cosmic Fury had a fantastic team

Dino Fury nailed all the aspects that make for a great Power Rangers season, combining nostalgic elements with fresh new ideas in one of the best entries in the saga. Even though Power Rangers is primarily aimed at young audiences, the show has built a dedicated fan base after three decades releasing new episodes almost every year. Every new Power Rangers season has the difficult mission of pleasing both its target audience and long-time fans, which is something Dino Fury managed to do. Part of it has to do with the show’s cast and characters.

One of the best Power Rangers teams since the original one, the Dino Fury crew is made up of relatable, charming characters whose stories are worthy of following. An old Power Rangers problem is how many of its characters can come off as two-dimensional heroes who don’t have much to offer in terms of storylines, especially when they are not wearing their helmets. This is not the case with Dino Fury, whose characters are well-developed and fun to watch even when they are not morphed. Zayto, Amelia, Ollie, Izzy, Javi, and Aiyon have all made their mark on the franchise.

Dino Fury & Cosmic Fury Got Power Rangers Nostalgia Right

Dino Fury & Cosmic Fury embraced Power Rangers’ history

Power Rangers has struggled with balancing nostalgia and new stories. On the one hand, the show will always be associated with Mighty Morphin and cannot ignore such a massive legacy. On the other hand, Power Rangers is much more than MMPR, even more so considering how many unique Super Sentai shows there have been recently. There was always room for Power Rangers to grow beyond Mighty Morphin, yet the show refused to do so many times. The fact that all theme songs began to use “Go Go Power Rangers” in their lyrics is the perfect example of it.

Although Dino Fury is a very nostalgic Power Rangers season – starting with the dinosaur motif – it does so in an organic way. Every callback to previous Power Rangers seasons in Dino Fury feels earned and plays an important role in the season’s overarching story. Dino Fury also incorporated important pieces of lore from the Power Rangers that the franchise rarely acknowledges, such as the role of the Morphin Masters in keeping the multiverse safe. Having rewatched all other seasons recently, I can say Dino Fury and Cosmic Fury reward fans.

Cosmic Fury Was The Power Rangers Show I Never Thought I Would Get

Cosmic Fury was even better than Dino Fury

Dino Fury was great, but its sequel, Cosmic Fury was the Power Rangers show I never thought would happen. From the 10 episodes released all at once on Netflix to the lack of filler, Cosmic Fury was unlike anything I had ever seen on the show. The series even included a lot more original footage compared to previous seasons, which led to the divisive American-made Cosmic Fury costumes. Although the criticism of Cosmic Fury’s suits and lack of Kyuranger elements is understandable considering the show’s Super Sentai tradition, the final result was worth it.

Cosmic Fury is arguably the most mature Power Rangers season. There is no comic relief duo, not every conflict is settled with a Megazord battle, and the stakes feel high in every episode. Cosmic Fury even killed off a Ranger, Zayto, who later returned as a Morphin Master. From the first recurrent female Red Ranger to Power Rangers’ first Orange Ranger, Cosmic Fury was full of surprises. The return of David Yost’s Billy, the original Blue Ranger, also worked greatly. After Cosmic Fury, I’m very excited about Power Rangers’ future, even though the next series remains a mystery.

Stream Cosmic Fury on Netflix